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Forget AirDrop, iOS 18.1 offers a better way to share files with your Mac
- The fifth developer betas of iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 enable users to drag and drop files between their devices using the iPhone Mirroring app.
- iOS 18.1 beta 5 also includes improvements to the Control Center and Camera Control button.
- iOS 18.1 and its Apple Intelligence features will become available to the public next month.
iOS 18.1 beta 5 and its macOS counterpart are now available to members of Apple’s developer program. These updates finally enable drag-and-drop support in the iPhone Mirroring app, which Apple first previewed during WWDC24. Thanks to this change, beta testers can now easily transfer files between their iPhones and Macs without relying on AirDrop, wires, or cloud solutions.
If you’re running the latest iOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1 developer betas, you can start using the feature right away. Simply launch the iPhone Mirroring app on your Mac, then drag any supported file from the virtual iPhone to macOS or vice versa. This is ideal for users shooting RAW footage with their iPhones and editing on macOS, as it spares them from transferring large files manually.
Otherwise, iOS 18.1 beta 5 adds a new Reset Control Center button in the Settings app. This allows users to restore the default layout, as iOS 18 makes the Control Center highly customizable, and things could get out of hand.
Lastly, iOS 18.1 beta 5 enables users to switch to the front-facing lens using the Camera Control button. The new toggle can be found when swiping between the different zoom options (0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x), allowing you to take a selfie without touching your iPhone 16‘s display.
iOS 18.1 is the first major update to iOS 18, packing the initial batch of Apple Intelligence features and a slew of other welcome changes. It’s currently available to beta testers, with the stable release scheduled for next month.